Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) advocates believe the best chance for the Northern Territory to restore VAD rights now lies with a private members bill.
The NT has the power to make its own laws, following the success of the Restoring Territory Rights Bill.
But while the new Country Liberal Party (CLP) Chief Minister said in Opposition she supported VAD, she has now told ABC Radio in Darwin her government has “other priorities”.
Lia Finocchiaro as NT Opposition Leader demanded Labor stand up against laws “that blockade our right to decide”, calling on the then Chief Minister Michael Gunner to raise the issue with then PM Scott Morrison.
“These laws deny us the same rights as the states to make decisions on the issues crucial to Territorians,” she said back then.
Territorians and VAD advocates are looking to hold her to that statement.
VAD has majority community support in the Territory and nationally.
The right to die was strongly recommended by the recently released NT VAD Expert Advisory Panel Report. National advocacy networks have also amassed formidable advocacy and political support.
That support will swing behind incoming NT Greens MP Kat McNamara if she tables a private members bill.
Her office told Green Left that “VAD is certainly an important issue for the new member for Nightcliff”, adding that a Private Members Bill “will be looked at”.
VAD campaigners in the NT remain committed to restore this right.
Judy Dent, a life-long VAD advocate and President of the Northern Territory Voluntary Euthanasia Society, said in her Letter to the NT News on September 16 why the territory needs its own law.
“Over the years, all jurisdictions except the NT have passed Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation. Our right to do so was restored late in 2022 but no legislation happened here.”
Dent noted that “Territorians cannot cross the border and access VAD — The NT needs its own legislation”.
From being first in the world to legalise VAD in 1995, to being the only jurisdiction without it, many Territorians feel like they are being treated like “second class citizens”.
NT religious leaders have promised there will be “no toxic debate” this time around and the new Chief Minister had previously supported Territorians “right to decide”.
With such support and the NT’s first Greens MP considering putting up a bill, restoring VAD rights may turn out to be more of a priority than the new Chief Minister thought.